Update on the Fresh Kills Competition

IN DECEMBER AND JANUARY, THE CLUI’s Bulletin Board series of timely presentations featured an exhibit depicting the proposals of the six semifinalists in the design competition for the redevelopment of New York City’s Fresh Kills Landfill.

While the exhibit was on display at CLUI Los Angeles, the selection committee in New York was reviewing and deliberating, and finally selected the winner of the competition (retaining two of the original six teams as back-ups). The winning proposal was the “Lifescape” plan’s team, headed by James Corner’s and Stan Allen’s Field Operations group. The two “runners up” were the JMP Landscape team, and the Rios Associates team (which included the CLUI as a member).

Though some sort of redevelopment will take place at the closed landfill, said to be the largest in America, funding priorities in New York City have shifted, due to the terrorist attacks of 2001, and the Fresh Kills project no doubt will move forward at a reduced pace. ♦